Display rack



R. A FROEHLIG Jan. 8, 1935.

DISPLAY RACK Filed Oct. 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,4. INVENTOR.

p M ATTORNEY.

Jan. 8, 1935. R. A, FROEHLIG DI SPLAY RACK Filed Oct. 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

K W ATTORNEY5.

Patented Jan. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES DISPLAY RACK Rudolph A. Froehlig, -Whitefish Bay, Wis., as-

signor to Badger Carton Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 28, 1932, Serial No. 639,934

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in display racks.

For certain products, such as cakes and other bakery goods, it is advantageous to provide a dis- 6 play which will feature various varieties of the product. A display device, therefore, utilizing a step-like supporting shelf will meet the requirements for the display of this type of product because it makes it possible to show a plurality of forms of the product and also to accompany each form with appropriate advertising material carried on portions of each of the shelves.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved display rack constructed with stepped shelves for the purpose above described, in which the rack is readily collapsible for shipping.

A further object of the invention is to provide a display rack of the type described, which may be very easily assembled or collapsed by any dealer.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved display rack having a stepped supporting portion wherein a novel form of locking means is formed in each of the stepped sections to cooperate with thesides of the rack in holding the device in assembled position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a display rack having a stepped supporting por- 30: tion in which a novel form of lock is provided for maintaining the lower portion of said support in position with respect to the sides of the rack.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a display rack which is neat in appearance, which 35; provides opportunity for varied advertising matter, which is simple in construction, and well adapted for the purpose described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved displayrack, and all its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of the improved rack;

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof, part being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the rack;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the stepped supporting section in fiat condition before assembly;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a modified form of step structure;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion of the modification of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a plan view of another form of the invention showing it in fiat condition for shipment, parts being broken away;

Fig. 8 is an edge View thereof;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view showing the rack of Fig. 7 in partially assembled condition;

Fig. 10 is a similar View showing the rack in fully assembled condition;

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view of the form of the invention as shown in Fig. 10, parts being broken away; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary detail view showing a modified form of the lower edge lock.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, it will be seen that the form of rack herein illustrated consists of a pair of side pieces 15, a rear piece 16, and a top piece 17. The sides 15 each have an edge out in stepped formation, as at 18, and have the rear edge provided with projecting tongues 19, and the lower edge near the front formed with a notch 20 having an offset 21. The rear section 16 is formed on each side with spaced slots 22 for receiving the tongues 19, and with upper horizontally extending slots 23. The upper edge of the rear may be provided with a suitable feature display portion 24 connected with the section 16 by means of a connecting piece 25 and movable from a position parallel to the rear section to the position illustrated, wherein slots 27 of the display portion 24 engage similar slots 28 in the piece 16, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3. I

The top or shelf portion is cut out as illustrated in Fig. 4 to providetongues 29 at one end edge and slots 30 atthe other end edge. The top is also transversely scored along lines 31 and 32. Adjacent each of the lines of scoring 32, tongues 33 having slots 34 therein, are formed, the said tongues being adapted to extend vertically in the plane of the step risers when the top is assembled, and to engage slots 34' formed in the side pieces 15. The shelf section 1'? is folded on the lines of scoring 31 and 32 in the manner illustrated and is assembled as shown in Fig. 1, with the tongues 33 engaging the side pieces to hold the steps in proper formation. Near the lower edge of the shelf section, lines of scoring 35 are formed to provide for folding of the member 17 around the nose of the side pieces 15, and into the notches 20, the slots 30 being engaged with the offsets 21 of each side piece to positively lock the shelf section in position.

As shown in Fig. 5, the top or shelf section 1'7 may be constructed to provide for steps of slightly different form. Aside from this difference, the

modification of Fig. 5 is constructed in an identical way to the form illustrated in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 12 a modified form of lock for the lower portion of the shelf, is illustrated. In this form the lower edge of each side piece near the nose is formed with an angularly extending slot 20 which is interlocked with the slot 30 of the shelf section. In this form, it will be noted, the lower part of the shelf section is provided with one less line of scoring 35 and is slightly shorter, due to the fact that the slots 20' are merely engaged by a single thickness of material and not by a doubled over part, as in the main form illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive, there is illustrateda form of display rack which is constructed of three'pieces permanently connected together, and movable into and out of assembled position merely 'by' a folding operation.

In this form there is a top or shelf section 36 and a pair of side sections 37. Each sidetsection has a rearwardly extending wing 38 separated from the side by a line of scoring The wings 38 are adapted tobe overlapped at the rear of the rack, as at'40, and secured together toform the rear, and said rear part extends upwardly and is secured to the upper part of the shelf section, as at 41, to support said part for the display of advertising material. The front of each side piece 37 is f ormed with a foldable wing 42 which is secured to the lowermost part 43 of the shelf section to hold the device in fully assembled position. Each side section 37 is further for-med intermediate of its length with a vertical line of fold 44, and the upper edge of each side section is cut in stepped formation, as at 45, with slots 46 extending inwardly at the apex of each step. The lower edge of each of the sides is further formed with an inwardly foldable flange portion 47.

The top or shelf portion 36 is provided with a plurality of sets of lines of scoring 48 and 49, tongues 50 having slots-5l formed therein,-being cut out adjacent the lines of scoring '48, for engagement with the slots 46 of the side .pieces in assembly.

With this form of the invention, the side pieces, which are identical in construction, may be cut out, and the top or shelf section separately. Next, each container is assembled from two side pieces, and one top piece by gluing or otherwise securing the wings 42 to the top part 43 and the rear wings 38 to one another, as at 40 and to the upper part of the top section. The racks may then be shipped in stacks, with each rack-in the collapsed form shown in Figs. '7 and 8. For assembly, it is merely necessary to pull the front and rear portions of the rack apart. This causes the side pieces 3'7 to straighten out to a position parallel to one another, and the rack will be in the position shown in Fig. 9. Next, the tongues 50 are moved into engagement with the slots 46 to cause a securing of the top or shelf section in position in the manner shown in Figs. and 11.

To collapse, it is merely necessary to pull the top section from the position of Fig. 10 to the position of Fig. 9 and to push the front and rear parts of the rack toward one another, the side pieces doubling on the lines of fold 44.

It is obvious that this type of rack may be formed with the type of step shown in Fig. 1

instead of with the type illustrated in Fig. 10.

In use, it may readily be seen that with the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 advertising material may be displayed on the feature display portion 24, on the upwardly projecting part of the rear below the portion 24,011 each of the shelf risers, and on each of the side pieces. With the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. '7 to 11, similar advertising possibilities are present, the only difference being that in view of the slightly different shape of the shelves, that the advertising material will be carried on only parts thereof which are apparent from the front. In both forms of the invention, the advertising material on each shelf may be different, and a different type of cake or bakery product may be displayed on each shelf so that an entire line may be readily advertised and displayed in a simple manner.

Although only a few forms'of the invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made, and all such changes are contemplatedas may come within the scope of the claim.

What I claim is:

A display device comprising a pair of intermediately foldable side portions each having a stepped upper edge and each having a rear wing foldable toward one another and overlapping along a verticalline to form a complete back wall, all parts of which are substantially at right angles to the side portions, 2. top portion having lines of fold cooperable with the stepped edges of the sides to form shelves, means parallel to the backwall for foldably connecting said top portion to said back wall, and means in connection with the top portion for foldably connecting the same to front portions oi the sides to provide for movement of the top portion with the foldable sides from collapsed position to assembled position.

RUDOLPH A. FROEHLIG. 

